TWO BIG SHOES. NO BIG NEWS.
Just haddan attack ofthe rhymies there...
Well I've been pretty much in hibernation all day and not doing very much. I had to go up the road into "town" (meaning the local main shops, not the fabulous West End - I moved to London somehow imagining I would spend half my time there and of course, a decade down the line, I don't in fact in recent years I've gone literally a year at a time without ever venturing foot in Central London... at moments like this (that is, when I really think about it) I tell myself I really should do as it's only £1.80 return by bus and the right bus goes practically past my door. The sights of London Town are amazing. Perhaps Paris is more prettily laid out but the best bits of London give Paris a run for their money any day. I speak from direct experience here, having mooched around Paris on foot for a week, then travelled direct to London where I got the chance to do the same here for a day. Both cities were unfamiliar to me. Although I'd been to London zillions of times I was always with my parents and very little. It wasn't till I was in my late teens that I really got the chance for a proper look round... The best parts of London, for a chill-out Sunday morning walkabout would be the area from Buckingham Palace, down the Mall to the Houses of Parliament where St James's Park is very near; then you can trot up Whitehall to Trafalgar Square... the sites here, like Big Ben and everything are pure touristville and might bring patriotic tears to my eyes when I'm drunk... but seriously the premier parts of this town are good and I hardly ever get to see them!
What has put me in this frame of mind? Friend and Fellow blogger Nicole and partner Vincent have moved from Amsterdam to Adelaide in southern Australia. She posted up some really good photos so click her name for a look at them...
Righty ho I'd better be going after that blather this was only meant to be a short post. I got Chinese chicken curry egg fly lice last night and so have to buy the pasta I was blithering on about then now...
Does anyone happen to know where I can get proper Chinese style curry powder? Or curry sauce in jars? Or does anyone know a recipe? When I briefly looked into this yesterday, everything I read I had to take with a massive pinch of salt (or MSG!! haha!) One recipe for Chinese Takeaway Style Curry Sauce actually said use garam masala or shop-bought Indian currypowder which made me wanna shout and headbut the screen Chinese curry is NOTHING like that!! Why would you specify CHINESE curry if you were willing to make it with an Indian spicemix? Duh!
O I really am blathering now have to go I'm still not feeling to hot. And what's more I'm hungry. Remember Parmezan cheese.... righto....
PS I know this was a really boring post I'm sorry. I have to go and do this pasta and scribble more of my memoirs now as otherwise life shall be defeating me...
PPS What am I saying?!? I'm sorry that post is so witty and engaging... o i feel tired out i'm not my normal self ***POO!***
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How to draw swirls on Adobe thing program. Clickonthis: http://graphics-illustrations.blogspot.com
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Video of the Day
Vivienne Vyle Episode 2 (click here for all 4 sections of episode 2)
Video II
Cross-species Adoption: Mothers of the Year
Tortoise adopts baby hippo; tigress adopts baby swines etc
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ReplyDeleteYou don't sound yourself either! There must be Chinese grocers in London where you can get curry powder. Or Asian grocers. Wait, I remember I once bought a tub of takeaway curry sauce powder (like gravy granules) in Sainsburys. I don't think my sons liked it very much though.
ReplyDeletearrrghhhhhh bugger blogger, it's just rejected my longish comment *!*
ReplyDeleteok .... I'll try again
ReplyDeleteloved the video of the surrogate mum's brought a lump to my throat. Earlier today I saw a Koala, first one in years in my area. Sadly for it and me it was dead - hit by a car trying to cross the road either to find a mate or a new supply of food:(
The UK Muslim story reached my radio midday Monday and had me yelling aka Victor Meldrom after I heard the bloke say they likened the situation to the treatment of Jews in Nazi Germany pre WW2!
I have never actually heard of a "Chinese" curry. But I do often add Chinese Five Spice Powder to a lot of the Chinese stir-fries that I make. There is a very good blog that I read from a lady in the United States who is a trained chef I believe and she focuses on Asian food a lot. She always writes about very interesting things regarding food and cooking and has posted some great recipes too:
ReplyDeletewww.tigersandstrawberries.com
If you scroll down a bit you'll find the most delicious looking mushroom curry. And on the right in "Categories" you can click on Chinese Recipes and you're sure to find some fantastic things.
Hi Gleds ~~ London has some wonderful things for tourists to see. I get to see them on TV especially when there is a royal wedding. I do hope you are feeling better next time you post, as you didn't sound like yourself at all. Glad to hear you are writing though,
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work and Take care of yourself. Best Wishes, Merle.
Liz: I have a huge pack of Jamaican curry powder... it has a different smell to Indian and is more similar to Chinese. Full of lovely MSG as well... There IS a Chinese stall at the local market so I will ask and have a good look. I don't think their curry powder usually even has chili in it, but it gives massive savour...
ReplyDeleteBimbimbie: bloody blogger
Bimbimbie: yes I heard the "Jews in Nazi Germany" quote too and it fair made me hit the roof too
Nicole: what I'm talking about is British-style Chinese takeaway curry sauce. When you ask for "chicken curry egg fry rice" they stir-fry chicken peas onions mushrooms, tip curry sauce over afterwards...
I can't vouch for the FLAVOUR of Chinese curry sauce internationally but it's even done in Japan (I know this as my "teach yourself Japanese book" has a Japanese Chinese takeaway menu inside it... also I once had a Japanese curry in a Japanese restaurant it was very similar to the Chinese version...
Merle: why did I cut you off like that??? I thought there were about 2 other people apart from you o well... London! Yes - beautiful stately buildings and parks!
ReplyDeleteI hope I'm back to myself by this evening. Wasn't feeling too hot b4...
I am travelling to England in April 2007 for my BF's Father's b-day. They live on the South Coast? We will also be going to visit his old friends in and around London. Any other must see sites that you can recommend?
ReplyDelete-Eileen
I haven't been to London for years. No idea on where to get Chinese curry powder...may ask a local Chinese Takeaway what they use. :o)
ReplyDeleteRx
I heard that you need more than 100 years to see everything in London.
ReplyDeleteEileen: Out of town but not too far attractions would be Windsor esp the castle... also Oxford/Cambridge (Cambridge is far more picturesque)... and in London... The London Aquarium is a massive urban sealife centre... The London Eye has to be done. Take a river trip down the Thames... Go to the opera/ballet. The English National Opera is far cheaper (and sung in English) whereas the Royal Opera is very posh and grand but in original language... O yeah the British Museum (mostly archaology/ancient cultures, like the Louvre) is always worth a look as is the Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert which is like the British Museum but more recent artifacts... The Science Museum is good but more for people with kids. The best art Gallery is the Tate Britain in my opinion bc it's 1800s, 1900s; Tate Modern is 20th/21st century; the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square is Canalletto/Raphael etc etc also there is a National Portrait Gallery which includes photographs just round the corner... Go on the DLR Docklands Light Railway from Bank (where it starts) into Docklands. Wait and get a seat right at the front bc there is no driver you get a fantastic view.... hang on I can't think of anything else... O yeah the best walk would be from Green Park Tube you can walk across to Buckingham Palace then down the Mall which you might have seen when Princess Diana got married etc towards Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, St James's Park is round the corner also you can walk up Whitehall to Trafalgar Square from there then you're at Charing Cross Station/Charing Cross tube you can get trains to the South Coast from there but if you're travelling South Coast from London you really need to check in advance which station you need to travel FROM as it's VERY confusing esp travelling south from London; bear in mind there are about 5 major rail stations oh blah blah also I think I posted that walk yesterday sorry I hope this has been of some use!
ReplyDeleteRuth: I was going to ask them but well as I posted they tend to be VERY evasive when they think they'll get less takeaway money as a result of answering such a question...
ReplyDeleteRopi: I think it was Dr Johnson who said "when a man is tired of London he is tired of life" and that was when the streets were piled high with horse manure dripping with human diarrhoea!
Oooooh, I wonder if the curry is a bit like the lovely mild version the Japanese serve on a katsu dish. That one is simple to make and has banana in it. I watched it on a British cooking show once. This Asian girl who is highly annoying but a very decent cook had a show and she showed how to make this curry once.
ReplyDeleteNicole: dunno about the banaa but it was pretty nice!!!
ReplyDeleteProject 71: hang on I will read your comment presently... what is this tho? Well I dunno... intriguing or WHAT... hey!!! ;->...
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Bom dia a você meu amigo falando Português! Tive uma poke através de seu blog e intelectual achei bastante fantástica. Cheguei em todo o seu trabalho muito por acaso e só queria dizer olá como eu flutuava sobre por ... Por que você não veio ao meu blog? Http://gledwood2.blogspot.com é o lugar para ser. Você pode ler a minha linha agendas secretas e tudo lá! Todos os muito melhor para você! De Gledwood "Vol. 2" ;->...
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